This application is directed generally to housings designed for mechanical assemblies and in particular to improved packaging for a plurality of interconnected electro-mechanical assemblies, and is more particularly directed toward an improved package designed to minimize shock and vibration effects in a vibratory rotation sensor.
Complex electro-mechanical systems are often designated and implemented in a modular fashion. In other words, there may be a module (or subassembly) that contains most or all of the electro-mechanical components, as well as electrical drivers and sensors. Another module or subassembly, interconnected with the first, may then include electronic circuitry to provide necessary drive signals, amplify and/or filter sensor outputs, and provide computational or signal processing resources. The separation of system components into modules, as described above, may often be dictated by manufacturing concerns, efficient testing of manufacturing assemblies, or proper interoperability of system components.
Of course, the modules or subassemblies must then be assembled into an integrated product. This often means that an electro-mechanical subassembly must be interconnected with an electrical connection header, for example, as well as one or more circuit boards containing electronic components. Particularly where size of the finished product is a concern, this generally means that the modules or subassemblies will be in close proximity to one another, making at least mechanical contact with one another, and often both mechanical and electrical contact. There is also generally a need to provide a housing around the modules or sub-assemblies, and the housing also is generally in at least mechanical contact with one or more of the system modules.
Many modern electro-mechanical systems must be designed to operate in harsh environments, including environments that subject the system to extremes of shock and vibration. Since shock and vibration effects can cause unacceptable stress levels to system components and interconnections, shock and vibration performance is of significant concern to system designers.